New Motorway Opens on Dublin to Galway Route
M6 Athlone to Ballinasloe National Road Scheme
The M6 Athlone to Ballinasloe national road project was officially opened today (23/07/2009) by An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen. The 19kms scheme came in on time and under budget. It has been declared a motorway by the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey which will be enacted on the 28th of August 2009.
The scheme, which is located between the west end of the N6 Athlone Bypass and the existing N6 east of Ballinasloe, will:
- Reduce off peak journey times by 6mins
- Remove 12,300 vehicles from existing N6
- Increase road safety for drivers
- Improve traffic flow and reduce traffic congestion
- Act as a stimulus for commercial and tourist activity
- Improve internal road infrastructure between and with the regions
Performing the official opening An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, said:
"The opening of this new stretch of the Dublin to Galway motorway is welcome news for all who live, work or commute along this corridor. This particular road building scheme has been completed on time and below budget at a cost of €210 million. Even in these times of very significant financial constraint the Government is continuing to invest heavily in our national motorway programme because we know that it makes good sense to do so. This new road will shorten journey times, improve competitiveness, provide safer travel and remove 12,300 vehicles per day from the existing single carriageway.”
Peter Malone, Chairman of the National Roads Authority, said:
“The completion of the Athlone to Ballinasloe national road scheme is another step forward in bringing Dublin closer to the West. It will make a huge difference to people travelling between Dublin and Galway. Travel times between the two cities will be greatly reduced, road safety improved and access between the regions considerably enhanced. Drivers can now travel a distance of 138kms on world class roadway from Dublin to Ballinasloe, 123kms being motorway and only 15kms dual carriageway. The final link, the Ballinasloe to East Galway section, is on schedule for completion early next year. Such schemes will provide a much needed boost for national industrial and commercial sectors. Tourism will also benefit as tourists from home and abroad will enjoy a safer and shorter journey with certainty of travel time.”
The scheme, which involved the construction of 12 bridges and 4 roundabouts on link roads, was funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and part financed by the European Union.
The entire 19kms of the scheme runs through county Roscommon. The main contractors were SIAC/Wills JV.
Please click here to view a map of the scheme
For further details contact:
Sean O’Neill, Head of Communications NRA
086 8230600